Amidst the India-Canada diplomatic standoff over the killing a pro-Khalistani leader, immigration experts say Indian students have “hardly anything to lose”, in fact, the Canadian government cannot afford to let go of the human capital and the monetary gains that the Indian students bring in to the country.
With the Indian government suspending visa processing for Canadian nationals amidst the tension, the Canadian universities will have to rely on digital means for recruiting youngsters for the next academic year. If the restrictions are not eased, the Canada-based colleges will not be able to set up immigration events including study fairs, and consultancies, and other marketing exercises to attract the Indian talent.
“Canadian authorities cannot afford to lose their current position among Indian students. As much as 40% of the total international students going to Canada are from India. Canadian institutions depend a lot on the fees being generated by these international students. If Indian students stop going there, the Canadian institutions will be in a financial mess. This, in turn, will impact jobs in Canada, and hurt the public sentiment. There government is aware of this fact. That is why even days after India banned their visas, the Canadian government has not taken any such action and are unlikely to take an aggressive stance,” said Piyush Kumar, Regional Director for South Asia and Mauritius at IDP Education.
There are 3,19,130 Indian students in Canada, according to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) 2022 report. In both colleges and universities based in Canada, Indians hold the majority of seats among international students. As many as 80,270 students from India study across universities and 2,09,930 students across colleges in Canada. The report also stated that the top reason for international students selecting Canada as their study option is it being a “safe” and “inclusive” place.
With that image being in jeopardy, Canada might have more to lose than India, believe experts. Indian students can find affordable study destinations in Ireland, and Germany among others, if they want to look beyond Canada.
Students’ Plan B
“Students chose Canada due to many factors including affordable fee, easy immigration, and familiarity. Once the motivation of students selecting Canada is identified they can be matched to other similar options. Many students who are nervous about recent developments are expanding their ambit and also applying for Germany, France, and Ireland. Students who were to go to top-tier universities can also find admissions in the US and Australia,” said Manisha Zaveri, Joint Managing Director, Career Mosaic.
She also clarified that the countries do not intend for students to be caught in the diplomatic crossfire. “If Canada visas are delayed, it will impact the fall intake which might see a pile-up of visa applications. Which can result in more rejections. If one term goes slow, one entire academic year is impacted.”
Students who move to Canada with an aim to settle down are the ones who might defer their plans due to the lack of a similar ecosystem elsewhere in the world. Academically brilliant students, however, can easily find other options, say experts.
“Students who would want to play safe will either apply for one more destination rather than deferring their admissions. Academically brilliant students who go to top-tier universities will get similar choices in Australia, the UK, and the US. But students who go to Canadian colleges or opt for diploma options with the aim of immigration will hardly find a similar ecosystem elsewhere. These are the students who would consider deferment as they would want to stick to Canada,” said Piyush Kumar of IDP.
Impact on Future Admissions
“Canada has worked really hard to set up itself as a study destination. They are intelligent about it and will not be willing to lose their position. With India banning their visas, many universities and colleges might not be able to come to India for recruitment exercises. They have done enough work to sustain the ongoing admission cycle. But if this continues, then other nations like the UK, Germany, US will continue to take Canada’s share of students as it is a highly competitive market,” said Vibha Kagzi, a Harvard graduate and founder and CEO of ReachIvy.com.
“Canada needs the Indian talent to come to their campus as well as to perform all kinds of jobs and sustain their economy by offering both human capital and foreign exchange, they are in no position to lose this benefit as they have a population deficit,” Kagzi adds.
Many Canadian colleges have written emails to Indian students and extended help to them. The top universities too have released statements and offered counselling to international students amid the diplomatic tussle. All colleges and universities despite being from different areas in Canada have written similar emails banking on the “inclusive”, and “diverse” environment in Canada as well as stressing mental well-being of students on campus.
Meanwhile, Canada-based institutes maintain that there are no trends or studies that indicate a change in the preferences of students.
Karunn Kandoi, Chief Experience Officer, ApplyBoard — Canada-based recruitment platform for international students — told News18, “We haven’t seen any early indicators of change from the perspective of student preferences. It is important to note that Indian students seeking to study in Canada continue to have their study permits and visas processed by the Canadian government. There has been no halting of visa processing for Indians coming to Canada. It is difficult to predict the intentions of students due to the current situation, but as Canadian institutions continue to recruit students from India and the Canadian federal government continues to process study permit applications, Canada remains an attractive destination for international students around the world.”
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